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Daemon Prince
]] A Daemon Prince is a human Champion of Chaos who has been elevated to daemonhood as a reward for his or her actions on the behalf of one of the major Chaos Gods or by the will of Chaos Undivided. Daemon Princes have chosen to trade their humanity for the god-like power and immortality of a creature of the Warp. A Daemon Prince is a living extension of the force of Chaos. To ascend to the rank of Daemon Prince is the ultimate goal of the most powerful Champions of Chaos, as it gives them immortality and power beyond the reckoning of mortals. For the devotees of the Ruinous Powers, this is far from an impossible goal. Those few who climb the path of the Champion to its apex are granted the prize of eternal life. Though thousands of lesser aspirants will fall by the wayside, a supremely talented devotee will clamber over mountains of the slain until he reaches the pinnacle of his bloody craft. Over the course of Terran centuries, such Champions offer up sacrifices on a planetary scale, risking death and mutation in the hope of attracting the gaze of the gods. And yet murder alone is not enough. Only those who further the causes of their masters are given the precious gift of daemonhood. They are raised up to become demigods, roaring their triumph into the night as their new bodies swell and bulge with the energies of the Warp. Daemon Princes combine the brute strength of daemons with the combat skill and tactical acumen of Space Marines. However, if the Champion fails in the eyes of their god, their lives and ambitions end as they are cast aside and instead descend into the mutant state of a Chaos Spawn. Since Daemon Princes have been transformed into semi-autonomous extensions of the Chaos God they serve or of Chaos Undivided, they are now entities of the Warp and can never truly be killed in the material universe, only banished into the Immaterium for a specific or arbitrary amount of time, usually 1,000 standard years. One who ascends to daemonhood can look forward to an eternity of servitude at his patron's behest. Even death is no respite. Essentially, Daemon Princes will exist for as long as Chaos is a force in the universe. Daemon Princes are infernal monsters that tower over the mortals they lead to battle. These paragons of Chaos take many forms, though all exude a palpable aura of terror and power. In battle, a Daemon Prince strides through the pitiful bullets of the enemy without pause, his unnatural laughter driving men to the edge of fear. Warp energy sizzles from his eyes, and black flames curl from his mouth as he speaks dread phrases that kill as sure as any blade. These are creatures of nightmare -- a living expression of Chaos given form. The galaxy is filled with tales of Daemon Princes and their vile deeds. Besides Be'lakor -- perhaps the most infamous of Daemon Princes -- the most renowned of these beings are the Primarchs of the Traitor Legions, for their dark gifts were layered atop the frames of mortals already akin to demigods. Although frequent allies of the Chaos Gods' daemonic legions, the so-called "Daemon Primarchs" prefer to lead their own corrupted Legions of Heretic Astartes against the Imperium they betrayed. History ]] In order to attract the attention of their patrons amongst the Ruinous Powers, Champions of Chaos are required to achieve dark and terrible ends. They willingly sacrifice both foes and friends in service to their ambition for power and willingly risk their lives at the hands of both the enemies of Chaos and their own fickle masters, who do not suffer failure gladly. Few Chaos Champions avoid either death, or the mutation into Chaos Spawn that awaits all those mortal servants of Chaos who fail their dark patrons. Those who succeed at the tasks set for them by the Ruinous Powers are transformed into immortal entities of the Warp. They leave all the trappings of mortality and simple human feelings far behind. Daemon Princes are incredibly powerful entities of the Warp, vast and nightmarish beings whose essence is the immortal hellstuff of the Immaterium given form. No two Daemon Princes are truly alike, although many maintain a roughly humanoid shape when incarnate in the material realm. Their exact forms are fashioned from congealed horror and marked with the signs and stigmata of whichever great Chaos God they ultimately serve. Whilst other daemons are simply fragments of their master's psyche, a Daemon Prince retains much of their own personality and the thirst for power that drove them in their mortal existence. Eager to carve out a realm of their own, many lead the mortal armies of Chaos, the massacres unleashed in their name sustaining them in the realm of reality. The oldest and most powerful of Daemon Princes are even worshipped as deities in their own right on some worlds. Most Daemon Princes eventually discard their material form altogether and pass beyond mortal concerns to join the ranks of their patron's daemons, only to come back and haunt the galaxy an age later at the head of a daemonic host. While Daemon Princes come in as wide a variety of shapes and sizes as there are facets of Chaos, most are massive beings composed of hulking muscle and thick sinew, displaying traditionally daemonic characteristics like horns and bat-like wings. All Daemon Princes wield potent sorcerous powers that originate in the Warp's psychic energies, and that are representative of the sphere of influence of the Daemon Prince's patron Chaos God. What little that a Daemon Prince retains of his or her humanity is usually only the caustic ambition and ruthless cunning which helped them earn their Chaotic reward in the first place. In the 41st Millennium, most of the Daemon Princes known to the Imperium hail from the ranks of the Chaos Space Marines, as these often ancient warriors possess the capability and desire needed to successfully serve the interests of Chaos well and long enough to earn daemonhood. However, the oldest of the Daemon Princes may actually have ascended to their immortal stature during the savage age long before Mankind left Terra to explore and settle the stars. When a Daemon Prince conquers a world in the physical universe using the mortal Forces of Chaos that serve him, his patron Chaos God or the Chaos Gods as a whole if he serves Chaos Undivided bestow the world upon him as his own personal realm. The conquered planet is absorbed into the Immaterium. It becomes what the Imperial Administratum has deemed a Daemon World, a sub-reality of the Warp in which the ruling Daemon Prince has complete control over reality, having essentially become a minor Chaos God within the boundaries of his own realm. Like all daemons, Daemon Princes much prefer the environment of the Warp to the physical universe, and only rarely do they deign to actually leave the Empyrean and reenter the material universe. Daemon Princes are prized by the Ruinous Powers of Chaos because unlike true daemons or even the Chaos Gods themselves, they are former mortals. As previous denizens of the Materium, Daemon Princes still have a deep knowledge of the material universe and how mortals think and act. Despite this, many Daemon Princes continue to crave more power and further ascent within the ranks of the Forces of Chaos and so they often choose to join the retinue of a Greater Daemon of their patron Dark Power. To their surprise and anger, Daemon Princes often discover that other daemons, particularly the Greater Daemons who outrank even them amongst the servants of the Ruinous Powers, regard Daemon Princes as inferior beings because of their mortal origins, seeing them as tainted by their heritage as natives of the physical universe. Despite this attitude, Daemon Princes are still often put to use in the daemonic legions, leading formations of Lesser Daemons on the battlefield. As always, even Daemon Princes are no more than tools of Chaos, albeit extremely powerful ones, to be used and discarded as the situation demands it. Primarchs as Daemon Princes , Daemon Primarch of the Emperor's Children Traitor Legion]] The greatest and most powerful of the current Daemon Princes were once the Traitor Primarchs of the Space Marine Legions that turned against the Emperor of Mankind during the Horus Heresy. These powerful entities, often called Daemon Primarchs, can easily be distinguished from other Daemon Princes by their distinctive appearances. They are still revered by the Traitor Legions of Chaos Space Marines they corrupted millennia ago, even though it has become uncommon for them to personally lead these Legions in battle from their Daemon Worlds. Instead they prefer to combat their daemonic rivals within the Eye of Terror, leaving the direction of their Legions, now broken up into individual Chaos Space Marine warbands, to their subordinate Champions of Chaos. Daemon Primarchs Daemon Princes of Chaos Daemon Princes of Khorne , a Daemon Prince of Khorne]] Also known as "Favoured of the Blood God, Blood Princes, and Bone Lords," not all of the Blood God's daemon servants began their existence as beings of everlasting Chaos. There are those who once strode across the material universe as living creatures of weak, frail, and limited flesh but who sought to be more. These courageous souls seek to offer themselves in service to Khorne in exchange for unparalleled strength and limitless martial power. Embarking on the path of glory, such a mortal knows full well that each footfall upon it could be the last he takes. Service to the capricious Blood God is fraught with constant hazards. Twists and turns of fate cause many champions to displease their master and end their relatively sane days as they are suddenly transformed into a mindless Chaos Spawn. There are, however, rare instances where the Chaos Champion, over time and through victory in thousands of battles, catches the more favourable eye of his or her master. For these few, the life of a mortal is gladly exchanged for elevation into the ranks of daemonhood as a powerful Daemon Prince. Those the Chaos Gods favour in this way are always rewarded because they were unwavering in their devotion and, just as importantly, unfailingly achieved all that their lord demanded of them. Of all the Chaos Gods, discerning what Khorne requires of his Champions is the easiest and least complicated: kill. Ensure that the flow of blood is constant. Make war upon all things. These straightforward tenets speak to the basic nature of all creatures, giving their inner need for conflict a path for expression. Khorne cares not if his champions began as hive city scum or as Space Marines. As long as they give him an unending flow of blood, they can earn the rewards he has to bestow, and elevation to daemonhood is the greatest reward of all. Daemon Princes of Slaanesh ]] Also known as "Favoured of the Senses, The Chosen Children, and Blessed of the Flesh," the ultimate reward for any mortal follower of one of the Dark Gods of Chaos is to be granted the right to serve for eternity as a Daemon Prince. The accomplishments a mortal must achieve to receive this blessing vary from god to god. For some, the path is straight. A follower of the brutish Khorne, for instance, must slaughter in the Blood God's name, reaping skulls and draining blood until his god takes note. It is simple, direct, and largely the same for all who serve him. For those who wish to enjoy the Lord of Excess' complete embrace, the path to greatness is less clear. Many avenues are open to be explored, many hidden pathways awaiting eager probing by the curious and dedicated devotee. All he must do is select one and find a way to take it to a level of excess so sublime that Slaanesh's attention is drawn. Once he has his master's eye, he must continue to push, to break through boundaries and limitations. He must amuse the Prince of Pleasure in such a way that he is judged to be not only unique, but worthy of reward, for uniqueness alone is not enough. The Dark Prince touches many mortals in horrifying and cruel ways, warping and twisting them into mindless, unnatural forms. All of the Ruinous Powers are capricious and are as likely as not to lavish mutations upon their followers, but Slaanesh's urges for indulgence make his caress especially risky. A mortal could achieve greatness worthy of notice, only to be ruined and become a mindless Chaos Spawn because the Dark Prince was in an especially wistful mood. Those that do receive the greatest gift of all, though, realise their goal of immortality and are reborn a Daemon Prince. It is the nature of Slaanesh, however, that even this great accomplishment is more of a beginning than an end point. The newly transformed Daemon Prince must continue to push the edges of excess, must do more, must be more. If he was rewarded for creating an elixir so sweet to the taste that its mere scent causes people to ingest ceaselessly until they drown in it willingly, he must find a way to entice entire worlds to choose to taint their supplies of drinking water with the deadly concoction. This accomplished, he must go further with his creation, perhaps altering it to leave each victim with a yearning smile on his face. Service is unending and eternal. Failure is as well, for Chaos Spawndom or worse is always a possible punishment for disappointing Slaanesh, even for a mighty Daemon Prince. Daemon Princes of Nurgle , a Daemon Prince of Nurgle, unveils an Inquisitorial journal]] Also known as "Purveyors of Poxes, Filthlords, Harbingers of Rebirth," many mortal followers of the Chaos Gods have wrought terrible deeds in the name of their masters. Leaders of Chaos Cults recruit new worshippers routinely. Billions of adherents commit foul acts of devotion to their dark lords every day. These actions are common, and go largely unnoticed by the likes of Nurgle. To gain the attention of the Lord of All, a follower must be willing to spread disease on a grand scale, infecting entire planets with a deadly pox. He must erode the foundations of entire cities and send their millions of inhabitants into a state of starvation, rot, and decay. A candidate for daemonhood must prove his worth on a level that most mortal minds cannot even begin to contemplate. Once he has committed an act that brings a smile to Nurgle's blistered and seeping face, he can pledge himself to unwavering service and dedication to bringing about the Great Corruption. Few who strive for this prize actually claim it. Failure ends in a wretched death, or worse, the curse of Chaos Spawndom, eternal life as a mindless, writhing monstrosity. Still, those who worm their way into Nurgle's foul heart receive his darkest blessing: apotheosis as a Daemon Prince of Nurgle. Daemon Princes of Tzeentch ]] Also known as "Dark Princelings, Deathbringers, Eternal Blasphemies," and almost as powerful as their older cousins the Lords of Change, Tzeentch's Daemon Princes are among the most potent beings in the galaxy. As such, for many who knowingly and deliberately follow the path of Tzeentch, the apotheosis to Daemon Princedom represents the ultimate destination of their dark journey. While all the Dark Powers are fickle creatures, promoting one Champion to daemonhood after a few short Terran years of service while denying others who have fought with distinction for standard centuries, Tzeentch's promotions seem even more capricious. However, while the whims of the other Dark Gods may explain why one Champion is promoted over another, Tzeentch, the Great Schemer, elevates only those Champions whom he foresees will serve his dark will effectively and totally in the standard years, decades, and centuries to come. All Daemon Princes maintain a measure of the individuality and independence they enjoyed as mortals, and many Daemon Princes have more free agency than even Greater Daemons. As Tzeentch tends to select individuals who, in mortal life, displayed great ambition, creativity, intelligence, and resourcefulness, his Daemon Princes tend to be among the most independent of Warp creatures. Tzeentch's Daemon Princes have characteristics that would make them admired, envied, and emulated in many mortal societies and civilisations. In fact, some Daemon Princes are even worshipped as gods in their own right by esoteric cults that spring up in remote corners and backwater planets throughout the galaxy. Across the pantheon of the Chaos Gods, Daemon Princes vary widely in appearance and ability. Horns, talons, lashing tails, and wings are common features, and most of Tzeentch's Daemon Princes share these attributes. Many Daemon Princes, excepting those who follow the path of Khorne, are Chaos Sorcerers. As one might expect, almost all of Tzeentch's Princes can manipulate the magic of the Warp. In addition, Tzeentchian Daemon Princes tend to share some of their dark master's visionary prescience and can see the strands of destiny as easily as mortals perceive light and shadow. As such, like Lords of Change, Tzeentchian Daemon Princes are master manipulators and strategists in the service of their god's Thousand and One Plots. Like the Lords of Change, Daemon Princes are subject to the plots and schemes of the Changer of Ways, perhaps to an even greater degree. Tzeentch will not hesitate to sacrifice a Champion whom he has elevated to daemonhood if it advances one of his many conspiracies. Wargear Daemon Princes are individuals whose wargear and abilities can vary wildly. However, at a minimum, a "generic" Daemon Prince, if such a thing can be said to exist, would be armed as follows: *'Hellforged Sword' *'Daemonic Axe (Optional replacement for Hellforged Sword)' *'Malefic Talons' Notable Daemon Princes Sources *''Black Crusade: Core Rulebook'' (RPG) *''Black Crusade: Tome of Blood'' (RPG), pp. 13, 88 *''Black Crusade: Tome of Decay'' (RPG), pg. 13 *''Black Crusade: Tome of Excess'' (RPG), pg. 14 *''Black Crusade: Tome of Fate'' (RPG), pg. 17 *''Codex: Chaos'' (2nd Edition) *''Codex: Chaos Space Marines'' (3rd Edition, 2nd Codex) pg. 65 *''Codex: Chaos Space Marines'' (4th Edition), pp. 11, 15, 32 *''Codex: Chaos Space Marines'' (3rd Edition, 1st Codex), pg. 8 *''Codex: Chaos Daemons'' (8th Edition), pp. 70, 102 *''Codex: Chaos Daemons'' (4th Edition), pg. 46 *''Codex: Eye of Terror'', pg. 5 *''Codex Heretic Astartes - Chaos Space Marines'' (8th Edition), pp. 56, 123 *''Dark Heresy: Forgotten Gods'' (2nd Edition) (RPG), pg. 141 *''Deathwatch: Ark of Lost Souls'' (RPG), pg. 134 *''Deathwatch: Core Rulebook'' (RPG), pp. 96, 362 *''The Gathering Storm - Book One - Fall of Cadia'' (7th Edition), pg. 37 *''Hunt for Voldorius'' (Novel) by Andy Hoare *''Imperial Armour Volume Six - The Siege of Vraks - Part Two'', pg. 75 *''Imperial Armour Volume Seven - The Siege of Vraks - Part Three'', pg. 170 *''Imperial Armour - Apocalypse II'', pp. 69, 74 *''Liber Chaotica'' - "Khorne: Black Crusades" *''Realm of Chaos: Slaves to Darkness'' *''Realm of Chaos: The Lost and the Damned'' *''Warhammer 40,000: Rulebook'' (5th Edition), pg. 148 *''White Dwarf'' 368 (UK), "Chaos Daemons," "The Power of the Warp," & "Realms of Chaos" *''White Dwarf'' 274 (UK), "Index Malleus: Daemons of the Warp", pg. 93 *''Chapter's Due'' (Novel) by Graham McNeill *''Grey Knights'' (Novel) by Ben Counter *''Storm of Iron'' (Novel) by Graham McNeill *''The Emperor's Gift'' (Novel) by Aaron Dembski-Bowden *''Pandorax'' (Novel) by C.Z. Dunn Gallery Daemon Prince_Kor Maegron.jpg|Daemon Prince Kor Megron, servant of Chaos Undivided Daemon Primarch Angron.jpg|The Daemon Primarch Angron, lord of the World Eaters Traitor Legion Keeper of Secrets_profile.jpg|A Daemon Prince of Slaanesh Mortarion, Prince of Decay.jpg|Mortarion, Prince of Decay, Daemon Primarch of the Death Guard Traitor Legion Rt intro daemon.jpg|Corrupt Blood Ravens Chapter Master Azariah Kyras as a Daemon Prince Daemon Prince vs Ultramarine Sergeant.jpg|A Daemon Prince is ambushed by the Imperial forces es:Príncipe Demonio Category:D Category:Chaos Category:Daemons